Saudi Arabia

Inspiration Friday: BMW Motorrad Days 2024 & GS Trophy 2024 Namibia

July 5, 2024 Michael Le Pard

The world’s largest BMW Motorrad event will return to Europe in July and America in October! An unadulterated motorcycle culture, a party atmosphere and unique riding experiences await riders who want the ultimate inspirational motorcycle […]

Inspiration Friday: Vespa World Days 2024 Guide

April 19, 2024 Michael Le Pard

Thousands of Vespa fans and their scooters from 55 countries and 5 continents will swarm Pontedera, Italy this week for Vespa World Days 2024! A celebration of everything Vespa with Vespa exhibitions, events, shows and […]

Well-deserved 2024 Dakar Rally rest day after week of demanding and intense Saudi Arabia racing

January 13, 2024 Michael Le Pard

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing have enjoyed a well-deserved rest day at the 2024 Dakar Rally after a week of demanding and intense racing in Saudi Arabia. With six grueling stages remaining, Toby Price is currently fifth […]

Teams set to race the 2024 Dakar Rally on January 5 in Saudi Arabia

December 18, 2023 Michael Le Pard

HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING GEARS UP FOR 2024 DAKAR RALLY REIGNING FIM WORLD RALLY-RAID WORLD CHAMPION LUCIANO BENAVIDES SET TO TAKE ON 46TH EDITION OF WORLD’S TOUGHEST RALLY-RAID Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides is all set […]

Hard-fought runner-up result at Rallye du Maroc for Argentinian

October 18, 2023 Michael Le Pard

Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has won the 2023 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship at the final round of the series in Morocco. The FR 450 Rally mounted rider secured the title with a hard-fought runner-up […]

Inspiration Friday: Legends of the Dakar Exhibition

May 12, 2023 Michael Le Pard

The word “Dakar” brings up images of desert, dunes, heat and exotic locals but also hero’s and overcoming inspiring challenges overcome. Welcome to week #244 of Inspiration Friday: Legends of the Dakar Exhibition. Be inspired […]

Stage 12: Cool calculated ride in Saudi Arabia Dakar Rally 2023

January 13, 2023 Michael Le Pard

Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides have safely completed the two-day marathon stage at the 2023 Dakar Rally. On stage 12 today, Skyler Howes finished as sixth quickest and now lies second in […]

Rapid Waterlogged Stage 9 at Dakar Rally 2023

January 11, 2023 Michael Le Pard

Porém & Sanz Lead the Way During Rapid Stage 9 at Dakar X-raid Yamaha Supported Team’s Ricardo Porém and co-driver Augusto Sanz made the most of the wet conditions to finish fourth in the T3 […]

Historic first T3 victory for Yamaha at Dakar Rally 2023!

January 9, 2023 Michael Le Pard

Historic Day for Yamaha as Ferreira & Palmeiro Claim Stage 8 Victory at Dakar X-raid Yamaha Supported Team’s Dakar Rookie João Ferreira and his co-driver Filipe Palmeiro created history by taking the first T3 victory […]

Challenging Stage 5 for X-raid Yamaha Supported Team in Dakar Rally

January 7, 2023 Michael Le Pard

Annett Fischer and Annie Seel led the way for the X-raid developed Yamaha YXZ1000R Turbo Prototype crews by finishing in 16th position as the dunes took their toll on the T3 Lightweight Prototypes during the […]

Dakar Rally: Premature end of the third stage in Saudi Arabia

January 4, 2023 Michael Le Pard

The X-raid developed Yamaha YXZ1000R Turbo Prototypes powered through torrential rain that led to the premature end of the third stage in Saudi Arabia, with drivers Ricardo Porém and Ignacio Casale revelling in the tricky […]

Crews Fight Through Demanding Stage 2 at Dakar Rally

January 3, 2023 Michael Le Pard

The X-raid Yamaha Supported Team crews overcame adversity during a challenging second stage at the Dakar Rally, with all six YXZ1000R Turbo Prototypes managing to complete the special despite each SSV suffering numerous punctures in […]

Good opening day as Dakar 2023 got underway in Yanbu Saudi Arabia

January 1, 2023 Michael Le Pard

Ricardo Porém and co-driver Augusto Sanz led the way for the X-raid Yamaha Supported Team during the Prologue at the 45th edition of the Dakar Rally, securing a strong sixth-place finish, while the other six […]

2023 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship Saudi Arabia: Dakar Rally 2023

December 30, 2022 Michael Le Pard

Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides are excited to get their 2023 Dakar Rally campaigns underway. Following their stellar 2022 season, both FR 450 Rally riders are motivated and confident ahead of the […]

Dakar Rally 2023 – Team Announcement

December 4, 2022 Michael Le Pard

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Matthias Walkner, Toby Price, and Kevin Benavides are ready to take on the 2023 Dakar Rally. With less than one month to go before the start of the iconic event, […]

Extremely close between top three at 2022 Andalucia Rally

October 23, 2022 Michael Le Pard

Luciano Benavides has finished the 2022 Andalucia Rally in third place overall. A strong ride on the short, final stage of the Spanish event saw the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider secure his second consecutive event […]

Yamaha Withdraws from Dakar Rally and FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship

February 18, 2022 Michael Le Pard

The end of the 2022 Dakar Rally in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in which Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team riders Adrien van Beveren and Andrew Short finished in fourth and eighth place respectively, brings to a […]

2nd half of 2022 Dakar Rally event toughest challenges yet

January 8, 2022 Michael Le Pard

With week one of the 44th Dakar Rally completed in Saudi Arabia, Husqvarna Factory Racing now looks ahead to the second half of the 2022 event, and what are expected to be some of the […]

Inspiration Friday: World’s Richest Rally

January 8, 2021 Michael Le Pard

Tesla’s Elon Musk and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos may be the richest men in the world, but they can’t shine a candle to the world’s richest rally; The Dakar Rally. Rich in history, culture, competition and […]

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing talks about 2021 Dakar Rally

January 4, 2021 Michael Le Pard

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla and Luciano Benavides will today take to the start of the 2021 Dakar Rally. The South American duo have completed their Shakedown tests and all administrative checks and […]

First international rally competition since the Dakar Rally in January to start

September 29, 2020 Michael Le Pard

ARGENTINIAN RIDER TO MAKE DEBUT APPEARANCE FOR ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING AT SPANISH EVENT Luciano Benavides has arrived in Europe ahead of his first official competition for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the 2020 […]

Inspiration Friday: Dirt to Dakar – Epic Games Dream Comes True

May 15, 2020 Michael Le Pard

Honda’s Ricky Brabec: A fighter and a man with a dream. To not just compete in the Dakar but win it versus seasoned racing professionals. From “good” to “best” takes more than a dream and […]

PABLO QUINTANILLA INTERVIEW – 2020 DAKAR RALLY

January 23, 2020 Michael Le Pard

Securing Husqvarna Motorcycles’ best ever result at the Dakar Rally with an excellent second place overall, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Pablo Quintanilla gives his thoughts on the 2020 event. Comprising a mixture of […]

Ricky Brabec Wins Dakar Rally for Honda

January 18, 2020 Michael Le Pard

January 17, 2020 — QIDDIYA, Saudi Arabia With a second-place finish in today’s final stage of the 2020 Dakar Rally, Ricky Brabec wrapped up the overall victory in the grueling international endurance event. Riding a CRF450 […]

QUINTANILLA AND HUSQVARNA CLAIM RUNNER-UP FINISH AT DAKAR 2020

January 18, 2020 Michael Le Pard

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has claimed second overall at the 42nd edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. Earning his best result at the event by putting in an excellent performance […]

PABLO QUINTANILLA WINS STAGE 11 AT 2020 DAKAR RALLY

January 17, 2020 Michael Le Pard

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA RIDER CLOSES IN ON PROVISIONAL RALLY LEADER WITH ONE STAGE LEFT TO RACE Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has stormed to victory on the penultimate stage of the Dakar Rally. […]

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA RIDERS SET FOR WEEK TWO AT 2020 DAKAR RALLY

January 11, 2020 Michael Le Pard

PABLO QUINTANILLA AND ANDREW SHORT FOCUSED ON STRONG SHOWING OVER FINAL SIX STAGES Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla and Andrew Short have both successfully made it to the halfway point of the 2020 […]

SHORT AND QUINTANILLA SET FOR RALLY DU MAROC

October 3, 2019 Michael Le Pard

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING TEAM ARRIVE IN MOROCCO TO RACE FINAL ROUND OF 2019 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP The two-rider Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team of Andrew Short and Pablo Quintanilla have arrived in Morocco […]